Background and Basis of Presentation |
9 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2020 | |
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | |
| Background and Basis of Presentation |
1. Background and Basis of Presentation:
Description of Business
PQ Group Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company” or “PQ Group Holdings”) is a leading integrated and innovative global provider of specialty catalysts, materials, chemicals and services. The Company supports customers globally through its strategically located network of manufacturing facilities. The Company believes that its products, which are predominantly inorganic, and services contribute to improving the sustainability of the environment.
The Company has four uniquely positioned specialty businesses: Refining Services provides sulfuric acid recycling to the North American refining industry; Catalysts serves the packaging and engineered plastics industry and, through its Zeolyst joint venture, the global refining, petrochemical and emissions control industries; Performance Materials produces transportation reflective safety markings for roads and airports; and Performance Chemicals supplies diverse product end uses, including personal and industrial cleaning products, fuel-efficient tires, surface coatings, and food and beverage products.
Seasonal changes and weather conditions typically affect the Company’s Performance Materials and Refining Services segments. In particular, the Performance Materials segment generally experiences lower sales and profit in the first and fourth quarters of the year because highway striping projects typically occur during warmer weather months. The Refining Services segment typically experiences similar seasonal fluctuations as a result of higher demand for gasoline products in the summer months. As a result, working capital requirements tend to be higher in the first and second quarters of the year, which can adversely affect the Company’s liquidity and cash flows. Because of this seasonality associated with certain of the Company’s segments, results for any one quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for any other quarter or for the full year.
On October 15, 2020, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Performance Materials business for $650,000 in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments as set forth in the agreement. Refer to Note 22 of these condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information related to the sale.
Basis of Presentation
The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations for interim reporting. In the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature necessary to state fairly the financial position and results of operations have been included. The results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.
COVID-19
In March 2020, the outbreak of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) was declared a national emergency in the United States. COVID-19 continues to spread in the United States and other parts of the world and has adversely impacted economic activity and contributed to volatility in financial markets. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government and various state, local and foreign governments have issued decrees and orders that have disrupted many businesses and implemented social distancing, travel and other restrictions. In response to these restrictions, the Company has taken a variety of actions, including an international travel ban, distribution of personal protective equipment to employees and work-at-home requirements for many of the Company’s employees who are not an integral part of its manufacturing operations. The Company has also implemented and refined its existing business continuity plans in an effort to minimize operational disruptions. The Company’s manufacturing operations, as well as the operations of its key vendors and the majority of its key customers, have continued to operate with limited interruptions. The extent and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business is highly uncertain and difficult to predict due to the rapidly evolving environment and continued uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require an update to our estimates or judgments or a revision of the carrying value of its assets or liabilities as of the date of the issuance of the condensed consolidated financial statements. These estimates may change, as the pandemic continues to evolve and the duration remains uncertain, and may adversely impact the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flow.
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